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Thai AirAsia to fly from Bangkok to Wuhan, China

By Budget Airline News

Thai AirAsia will offer direct daily flights from Bangkok to Wuhan, China. This new route will begin on October 19, 2012.

The outbound flight will depart Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport at 7:15am, arriving in Wuhan at 11:35am.  The return flight will depart Wuhan at  12:20pm, arriving in Bangkok at 3:10pm.

Promotional one-way fares from Bangkok to Wuhan start from just 1,590 THB ($53 USD) including taxes. As Thai AirAsia is a budget airline, additional fees will apply for checked luggage, on board meals, and advance seat selection.

 

AirAsia to offer Johor Bahru – Surabaya flights

By Budget Airline News

AirAsia has announced it will offer direct flights from Johor Bahru, Malaysia to Surabaya, Indonesia. This new international route will begin on October 19, 2012.

The initial schedule will be four round-trip flights per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

This will be AirAsia’s first international route out of their secondary hub in Johor Bahru. Other destinations from Johor Bahru include Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Miri, Penang, and Sibu which are all in Malaysia.

Tickets are available through the AirAsia website and one-way promotional fares start from 129 MYR ($43 USD) including taxes and surcharges. As a budget airline, AirAsia charges additional fees for on-board meals, checked luggage, and advance seat selection.

 

Scoot launches Singapore – Tianjin flights

By Budget Airline News

Singaporean low-cost airline Scoot launched its newest route from Singapore to Tianjin, China on August 22, 2012. The initial schedule will be three flights per week, increasing to four flights per week from September 9, 2012.

Outbound flights will depart Singapore’s Changi Airport at 1:30am, arriving at Tianjin’s Binhai Airport at 7:30am. Return flights will depart Tianjin at 9:15am and arrive in Singapore at 3:05pm.

Having debuted in June 2012, Scoot is a relative newcomer to the competitive budget airline business. Tianjin is its fourth international route out of Singapore after Sydney, Gold Coast, and Bangkok. The airline will launch additional routes to Taipei and Tokyo in the coming months.

One-way fares from Singapore to Tianjin start from $188 SGD including taxes and surcharges. Addition fees apply for checked luggage, meals, and on-board entertainment.

 

 

Peach to offer Osaka – Okinawa route

By Budget Airline News

Japanese low-cost airline Peach has announced a new domestic destination: Okinawa.  Starting October 18, the airline will offer two flights per day from Osaka (Kansai Airport) to Okinawa (Naha Airport).

Osaka-Okinawa flights will depart from Kansai Airport ka at 13:20 and 18:25 each day. Okinawa-Osaka flights will depart from Naha Airport at 15:50 and 20:55 each day.  This schedule is valid until October 27, 2012.

Promotional one-way fares for this new route start from 4,790 JPY for a Happy Peach fare or 6,490 JPY for a Happy Peach Plus fare with one checked bag. Payment fees and passenger service fees are additional.

 

GoAir launches Bangalore – Goa flights

By Budget Airline News

Indian low-cost airline GoAir has launched direct flights from Bangalore to Goa. The airline will offer a daily round-trip flight on this new route.

The outbound flight G8 245 will depart Bangalore at 06:25, arriving in Goa at 07:30. The return flight G8 246 will depart Goa at 20:20, arriving in Bangalore at 21:30. The flight duration is slightly over 1 hour.

In a statement, GoAir CEO Giorgio De Roni said: “With the new service, our total flights to/from Bangalore will increase to 84 per week, linking Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Goa. The timings are scheduled so as to provide connecting flights to Chandigarh, Jammu, Jaipur, Patna and Srinagar from the nearest respective destinations.”

 

Hong Kong Airlines cancels London route

By Budget Airline News

Hong Kong Airlines is cancelling its route from Hong Kong to London, UK, with effect from September 2012. This route was entirely business class seating and the airline’s only long-haul route. The cancellation is in line with the airline’s shift to a low-cost carrier model.

Hong Kong Airlines, which is partly owned by Hainan Airlines, will instead focus on Asia-Pacific destinations.

“We now have the fleet to continue building a business focused on Asia-Pacific, especially in Greater China, given the profitability of our regional routes,”  said airline President Yang Jian Hong.

 

AirAsia to offer Kuala Lumpur – Lombok flights

By Budget Airline News

AirAsia has announced it will offer direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Lombok, Indonesia. The new route will begin on October 12, 2012, and there will be three flights per week on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The outbound flight AK1408 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 8:35am, arriving in Lombok at 11:45am local time. The return flight AK1409 will depart Lombok at 12:15pm, arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 3:25pm local time.

In a press release, AirAsia commercial director Jasmine Lee said: “Lombok is a hidden gem. Blessed with a plethora of spectacular scenery, Lombok satisfies diverse holiday preferences. Outdoor lovers may embark on adventurous trips to explore the mighty Mount Rinjani or Tropical Forest and Animal Reserve.

“Honeymooners will definitely find the untouched sandy beaches at Senggigi and the surrounding Gili Island as romantic retreats. For those who seek escapism, Lombok is a perfect spot for snorkelling and diving, with a dreamlike and picture perfect underwater world.”

Online ticketing is available through the AirAsia website. One-way promotional fares start from $30 USD including taxes.

 

VietJetAir to fly HCMC – Hai Phong

By Budget Airline News

Low-cost Vietnamese airline VietJetAir has announced a new route from Ho Chi Minh City to Hai Phong.  They will operate one round-trip flight per day starting on October 1, 2012.

The outbound flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Hai Phong will depart at 9:50am.  The return flight from Hai Phong to Ho Chi Minh City will depart at 12:20pm.

Pritam Singh, Deputy General Director of VietJetAir, said, “VietJetAir has made a buzz on the market for its flexible, big sale promotions and creative high-quality flight services. We highly appreciate passengers’ valuable feedbacks for a hope of making VietJetAir the favourable airline in Vietnam and the region. We will soon launch more domestic routes and international flights to better cater for increasing travel demand of Vietnamese and international tourists as well as calling for more investment and trade into the country.”

Online booking is available through the VietJetAir website and one-way promotional fares start from just VND 19,000 ($1 USD) plus taxes.

Mandala Airlines launches Jakarta – Bangkok flights

By Budget Airline News

Mandala Airlines officially launched its newest international route from Jakarta to Bangkok, Thailand on August 10, 2012.

Mandala Airlines, now a partner of Tiger Airways, will offer daily flights on this new route.  Mandala Airlines will compete with other low-cost airlines like AirAsia that also fly this route.

One-way fares from Jakarta to Bangkok start from IDR549,900 ($58 USD).

 

Indian government plans to launch “Air Kerala”

By Budget Airline News

The south Indian state of Kerala is planning to launch its own low-cost airline. Tentatively named “Air Kerala”, the airline would serve passengers traveling between Kerala and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Due to the economic conditions in South India, many people travel to Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and UAE for employment.

“During peak seasons, they have shell out huge amounts to purchase air tickets. So, the government of Kerala is moving ahead to start its own airline, said E T Mohammed Bashir, a member of the Indian parliament.

If the plans are approved, the airline will likely follow a public-private partnership model for funding. A similar model was used to build the Cochin International Airport in Kerala.

The official announcement for the airline is anticipated to be made at the “Emerging Kerala” investment summit scheduled to begin on September 12, 2012.